Winterization Kit installed

[drdave]

Did my winterization yesteray for the first time.   I wound up going to my closest RV dealer (not a camplite dealer) and picking this kit up:


http://www.amazon.com/Camco-36543-Pump-Converter-Winterizing/dp/B0006JJ588/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1413736486&sr=8-2&keywords=camco+winterization+kit

Intallation was straigtforward, but OF COURSE I wound up having to make another trip to Home Depot for a couple of feet of extra 1/2 in hose and a fitting because there wasn't enough slack to reconnect the supply hose after the kit installation.   I installed this kit between the water filter and the water pump on the vacuum side (required).   On my 16DB the pump is located under the jackknife couch between the heater and the circuit breaker box.   There was TONS of room under there in the vicinity of the pump so no worries there.  I did not try for leaks with city water pressure....that will have to wait till spring.   I didn't want to re-introduce any more wastewater that I could help to my tanks because I had already emptied/flushed all my tanks.    However, I did use the kit to suck the antifreeze into the lines using the water pump and it worked like a charm.   I should have taken a picture of the finished installation, but I already buttoned everything back together before I thought of it.  

My basic procedure was to 1: bypass, empty, flush the HW tank (I used a wand and got some nasty gunk out...was worth the minute to flush)   2: ran the pump to get as much water out of the system as possible, opened all H and C water taps and flushed toilet, etc., opened the low point drains.  I also bled the city water backflow valve.   3: Hooked up the antifreeze sucky hose to the pump converter bypass valve and put itto my 1 gal jug of antifreeze.    4:  Turned on the pump and once again opened everything back including outside hose up until I saw red antifreeze come out.    I had bought 2 gallons of prestone brand and used both just to be sure there was plenty all thoughout the supply lines and in the grey and black tanks.    I also emptied the water from the water filter bulb on the supply side.    

Something to think about if you are anticipating camping between now and winterizing your camper:   Before you leave the campsite to travel home open the stopcock on your freshwater tank and let the water empty out as you drive home.   If you let the valve open as the trailer sits stationary you'll have about 1/3-1/2" water sitting in the bottom of the tank due to the hight of the stopcock on the side.    The sloshing around of the freshwater as you drive causes much more of it to drain out of the tank.   I couldn't detect any once I got home.   If there was any left in it it couldn't have been more than a few OZ.  

[jeffrey]

[quote source="/post/4302/thread" timestamp="1413738105" author="@tlbones"]Did my winterization yesteray for the first time.   I wound up going to my closest RV dealer (not a camplite dealer) and picking this kit up:

I'm wondering weather this is even necessary? I drained my tank and my lines (opened all the faucets) which livin lite seemed to do a pretty good job of arranging so that the lowest point will drain. Even if water get's trapped somewhere in the lines won't it have room to expand?  Suppose that's not the case isn't pex designed to compensate for this, eg expand without breaking. I'm all for doing things that need doing just don't want to waste time and energy on something that isn't necessary. Not saying this is so looking for somebody to refute my assumption.
[/quote]

[david]

PEX can accommodate a little water, say a low point that is only 6-12" long, and not split the tubing. But on my boat dock, we had a 6' long low point that didn't drain and it split last winter. LL does do a good job of routing the water tubing to eliminate low spots.

Also you don't want to leave any water near a fitting. The water inside will freeze and then push the PEX out and it will leak afterwards. Ask me how I know!!

David

[jeffrey]

[quote timestamp="1415226888" author="@david" source="/post/4810/thread"]

Also you don't want to leave any water near a fitting. The water inside will freeze and then push the PEX out and it will leak afterwards. Ask me how I know!!

David[/quote]I'm guessing you have had it happen? I did some reading online and it seems to concur with what I'm saying that pex will expand and contract without breaking.
http://www.doityourself.com/forum/plumbing-piping/479843-more-pex-questions.html
My neighbor who is a lot handier than I told me this also. I have a pex line in a uninsulated metal building with a hose bib mounted on an outside wall (line inside) about 3' above the ground.  I should probably turn off the supply and open the hose bib. I never do and so far knock on wood many nights in the low 20's gotten away with it. I suspect that's because the pex allows the water to expand away from the valve.  I would never take that chance with the camper though I open all valves and drain lines. I've do this with my old 27' kodiak without any problems.

[drdave]

The bypass valve is just a luxury to make it easy to add RV antifreeze to your lines by just flipping a switch and inserting a hose in a gallon bottle of anitfreeze.  I almost went the route of blowing the lines out with compressed air but since this is my first winterization I went the antifreeze route.   For $16 kit and $10 in antifreeze I don't think I went too far wrong.   Good to know pex has some flex.  I was more worried about the toilet, fixtures, waterpump, etc. than the lines.  

[jeffrey]

[quote source="/post/4812/thread" timestamp="1415235218" author="@tlbones"]The bypass valve is just a luxury to make it easy to add RV antifreeze to your lines by just flipping a switch and inserting a hose in a gallon bottle of anitfreeze.  I almost went the route of blowing the lines out with compressed air but since this is my first winterization I went the antifreeze route.   For $16 kit and $10 in antifreeze I don't think I went too far wrong.   Good to know pex has some flex.  I was more worried about the toilet, fixtures, waterpump, etc. than the lines.  

[/quote]Definitely can't hurt.   I'm probably going to just leave every thing drained and see what happens.  But will run the water pump for a few seconds to purge anything that may be trapped in it.  If I have any problems I'll post them.   Fortunately on my unit almost everything is easily accessible  in the front compartments.  So any problems should  be easy to identify and fix.